


Lasting Impressions

by Arghnon



Series: IDOLiSH7 Fantasy Bounty Hunter AU [1]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Fantasy bounty hunter AU, Fighting, M/M, Vague part 3 spoilers, nagi is just not there on that day at the end bit, this au is polythag but this fic is just mitsuyama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 00:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arghnon/pseuds/Arghnon
Summary: Yamato's first impression of Mitsuki was ‘short’. Small. Youthful?He's not sure which will get him a lighter punch in the shoulder.(Yamato's impressions of Mitsuki)





	Lasting Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> This was for Mitsuki's birthday but I reached a writer's block and started literally 5 other fics, 3 of this same AU. So hopefully I can get the guts and time to clean out my WIP folder soon.

Yamato's first impression of Mitsuki was ‘short’. Small. Youthful?

He's not sure which will get him a lighter punch in the shoulder. Either way, Mitsuki wouldn't deny it. If anyone knows anything about Mitsuki's limitations, physical or otherwise, it's Mitsuki himself.

He had originally thought Mitsuki was about 15, maybe 16 years old. But when he learnt of his age, he could see it. In the way he is poised ready to leap forward into the fray and the way he stares, serious and intense with each official debrief they get from Banri on their first day. He sees it especially in the pain in his eyes when Tsumugi announces that only three of them will be recruited, a tiredness that tightens the corners of his face.

He doesn't seem small when he introduces himself again before the test. His feet firm on the ground, chest out and proud. His voice fills the room and doesn't waver an inch when he mentions his many previous recruitment attempts. It doesn't sound like a weakness when he says it this time. His smile makes it sound like an advantage. 

Yamato doesn't know how many times he’s failed. He believes, though, that this could have been his tenth, fiftieth, even hundredth try and he would stand just the same. With determination etched in every muscle, chin up and eyes blazing. There is nothing small about him then. In that moment, he could brush the sky.

The second impression he leaves is during the recruitment test itself: resilient. Maybe stubborn is the right word.

Yamato had tried to leave. He couldn't stand the thought of taking away an opportunity like this from such painfully earnest and honest people when all his intentions were anything but. Unfortunately, he is also weak to said painfully earnest and honest people. So he stays.

Riku and Sougo pair up as they have magic-based fighting. Tamaki and Iori are up against each other due to similar builds and physical skills. Yamato and Nagi both have specialties outside of fighting to demonstrate. Mitsuki volunteers to fight two people.

He gets Yamato and Nagi.

His first match with Nagi ends quickly. There's not much you can really do against enthrallment. 

Their second match ends quickly as well, even though it's a no-magic fight. Nagi is just too good. Quick and efficient. Mitsuki was on the ground in a blink of an eye.

Since Yamato's selling point is thievery, he has to steal an orange cloth off of Mitsuki. Mitsuki has to keep the cloth and take Yamato down. He hates to say it, but the first round is easy.

Mitsuki's moves are textbook, but unlike his brother, they're not perfect and Yamato fights dirty. He clearly has never been in a real fight before and Yamato's been in enough when his fingers weren't as quick as they could be. He falls for feints easily and with a slip of his fingers and a twist of his hips, Yamato has the cloth in his hand and is out of his range.

The angry crumpled expression he gets stirs enough guilt in him to agree to a rematch. And another rematch. And another.

Finally, on the eighth round, Mitsuki has him on the ground. Exhaustion and surprise is enough to loosen his grip on the cloth he almost steals once more. Mitsuki beams at him from his seat upon Yamato's chest. His arm is raised high with the cloth clenched tightly in his fist. His face is absolutely radiant.

His third impression, and most lasting impression is ‘bright’. He is always bright.

He is bright when Yamato finds him in the dojo after training. He is sweating from his extra practice and Yamato can’t look away. His eyes are orange jewels reflecting the light of the gas lamps hanging on the walls. He is so open as he meets Yamato’s eyes. He asks him to give everything he’s got, to show him.

He is shining when he does his jobs. He weaves himself through a crowd of people. He finds their target by brushing and filing smoothly through chatter. He slips so easily into a conversation. He greets everyone as if they were old friends meeting again. Then he leads them through threads of topics, plays them until he gets what he wants. All with an inviting smile on his face.

And he is absolutely blinding. He is so, so bright. He burns hotter and harder than the wound at the edge of his lips. He grabs at Yamato’s clothes and shoves him roughly against the door. His face is so close, crumpled and wrecked. He is shouting at him. He is begging him to tell him with his own words. He is yelling at him that he can’t hate him no matter what he does.

He has never looked so sad.

Yamato touches the bruise on his face. He focuses on the throbbing pain, pressing on discoloured skin to feel it sharper.

He’ll still do his job. Complete the mission. Hand in the reward money.

And then like a shadow chased away by the morning light, he'll disappear.

 

Yamato wakes up with his face tucked into the corner where shoulder and chest meet. He can feel wiry arms wrapped around his head loosely. His own arms wrap around a trimmed waist. A leg is tossed around his torso and he can feel soft breaths rustle his hair. 

He tightens his hold and hears soft grumbles above him and against him. He nuzzles further into Mitsuki. He spreads his palms out against his back just to feel his warm skin against his fingertips. 

Mitsuki feels like the sunlight painted against his back. A comforting presence that he can always rely on to be there come morning. It’s more than he deserves, the heat of existence that is Izumi Mitsuki. Bright and blazing, it should be more than he could handle. 

But for this light he is willing to be burned. To be in his arms, he is willing- no, wanting to step out from the shade and start a new day.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanna say that Mitsuki later on learns enough fighting skills to take down Yamato just their experience level is wildly different at the time of their 'auditions'. 
> 
> Yamato's fighting style is 'run away' which is actually pretty valid and effective when your goal is to steal and stay alive not take down an enemy.


End file.
